Mail-bag catching and delivering mechanism.



agfinesss I BY E. G; MAYS. MAIL BAG GATGHING AND DELIVERING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED OUT. 31, 1910. 992,742. Patented May 16, 1911'.

4 SHEETS-SHEETL INVENTOR E. G.-MAYS.

MAIL BAG GATGHING AND DELIVERING MECHANISM.

Patented May 1. 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I A TTO RiNEY WITNESSES El GI MAIL BAG GATGHING AND DELIVERING MECHANISM.

APPLICIATH'HI FILED OUT. 31, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET a.

Patented May 16, 1911.

- 71.01.. 8 ""llllllllllllulfllllllllllllI INVENTQR WITNESSES ATTORNEY E. G. MAYS. MAIL BAG GAI'GHING AND DELIVERING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION'I'ILED OCT. 31, 1910.

PatenteqMay 16, 1911.

sums-mini 4.

if 11ml!!! INVENTOR BY mm ATTORNEY EDWARD Gr. MAYS, F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

MAIL-BAG CATCHING AND DELIVERING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1911.

Application filed October 31, 1910. Serial No. 589,846.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD G. MAYs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Wilmington, in the county of Newcastle and State of Delaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail- Bag Catching and Delivering Mechanism, whereof the following is a specification, ref erence being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention particularly relates to mechanism for the exchange of mail-bags between a moving train and a stationary holder disposed along the" track.

The principal objects of this invention are, to provide simple, efli'cient and reliable mechanism operative to exchange mail-bags without injuring their contents; to provide means automatically actuated to retain said bags when delivered; to provide means automatically actuated by said bags, whereby they are shifted when exchanged or delivered, to a position free from the path of relatively movable mechanism; and to provide means on the car operative to prevent the accidental displacement of the bag to be delivered and arranged to be actuated by the receiving mechanism along the track to release said bag at the time of exchange.

The form of this invention, hereinafter described, provides a car 1 with a rotary crane having a jib operative to swing in a horizontal plane, and having a depending extension arranged to support a mail-bag, a reciprocatory hanger carried by said jib and arranged to maintain said jib extended from the side of the car in a position operative to catch a mail-bag, and to be shifted thereby to release said jib from said extended position, and means arranged to shift said jib when released to present the mailbag carried by said hanger into a position convenient for its release by the operator. I

The invention further provides stationary mechanism cooperative with the mechanism carried by the car, comprising a post or other suitable support disposed adjacent to the track, and, carrying an arm or lever pivoted'to oscillate in a vertical plane,-and having means arranged to support a mailbag in a position to be caught by said hanger, said arm being operative to receive the mail-bag carried by the jib of the crane on said car, means tendin to retain the arm at the station in operative position, but capable of being released automatically by the engagement of a mail-bag therewith, when delivered from said car, and means operative to shift said arm when thus released to a position such as to carry the mail-bag out of the path of relatively moving mechanism, and to thus hold said mail-bag until removed by the operator.

This invention also provides ahook yieldingly connected with the mail-bag by a spring balance, and having movable jaws yieldingly maintained in a position to normally substantially close said hook, and arranged to be automatically opened by. the receiving supports respectively carried by the car, and at the station. This invention further includes all of the various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational view of a car showing the exchanging mechanism in a position to deliver a mail-bag to mechanism at the station; Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a station for receiving and delivering mail-bags, and showing said car in transverse vertical section, in a position to exchange said mail-bags; Fig. 3 is a view ,4

similar to Fig. 2, showing the mail-bags exchanged and shifted into their respective delivered positions; Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the mail-bag and hook depending from the support carried by the car, showing a mail-bag suspended in a position to be delivered, as in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line.

55 in Fig. 2, showing the arm and its support located at the station; and Fig. 6 is a side elevational view showing an alternative form of hook for supporting the mail-bag.

In said figures, the car 10 is provided with a swinging crane 11 having its jib 12 ar ranged to rotate in a horizontal plane upon the shaft 13, which is journaled in bearing lugs 14: and 15 projecting from the side of said car. Said jib 12 is arrangedto carry the mail-bag 18 in such a position as to be caught by the arm 20 at the station 21. Said arm 20 is pivoted at 23 to the stationary supporting post 25, and is provided with the extension 26, having an enlarged outer end 27 from which projects the delivery fingers 28, which support a mail-bag in a position to be caught by the hanger 32 carried by the jib 12 of the crane 11 on the car 10. The swinging jib 12 is provided with a depending cxtension 34, having the lateral projection 35 providing a slot 36 arranged to receive the shank 37 of the hook 38, which is provided with the pin 39 projecting laterally from the opposite sides of said shank 37 and seated upon the upper wall of the projection 35.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the hook 38 is prevented from accidental displacement from the crane 11 by a detent 40, which depends from the horizontal arm 42 of the lever 43, pivoted on said crane at 44, and provided with the downwardly curved projection 45. Said detent 40 is normally maintained in a position operative to prevent accidental displacement of the hook 38 by the spring 46 normally tending to shift the lever 43 in the direction indicated by the arrow, as shown in Fig. 4. The hanger 32 is carried by the jib 12 of the crane 11, and is mounted for vertical reciprocation therein, but is normally upheld by the spring 48 which surrounds one leg of said hanger, and extends between the upper wall of the jib 12 and a nut 49, which is in threaded engagement with said leg and conveniently adjustable thereon. The other leg of said hanger 32 projects upwardly through the jib 12 and normally retains said arm in its operative position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by engagement with the detent aperture 50 in the detent 51, which extends from the side 16 of the car. The hanger 32 is arranged to be shifted in opposition to the tension of the spring 48 by engagement of a mail-bag therewith, to withdraw the hanger from engagement with the detent 51, which permit-s the jib 12 to swing inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The rotation of the jib 12 is effected bythe spiral spring 53, which surrounds the shaft 13 of thecrane 11 and normally tends to shift said crane to the position shown in Fig. 3 to deliver the mail-bag carried on the hanger 32 to a position convenient to the operator.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the hook 38 comprises the open ring 58 having spring jaws 60 and 61, respectively, provided with the opposed teeth 62 and 63, the spring jaw 61 forming a lower lip 65, and the ring 58 being extended to form the opposed upper lip 69. The jaw 60 is mounted in the slot 67 in the ring 58 and is normally held in its operative position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4. against the end wall of said slot 67 by the spring plate 68, which is conveniently riveted to the lip 69 of said ring 58. The jaw 61 is mounted in the slot 72 and is maintained in its normal position, shown in full lines in Fig. 4, against the end wall. of said slot 72 by the spring plate 73, riveted to the ring 58 and having its free end bearing against the inner face of the tooth 63. Said jaws 60 and 61 are arranged to oscillate on the respective pivots 74 and 75 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, when engaged by either the extension 26 carried by the arm 20 at the station, or with the hanger 32 carried by the car. The hook 38 is provided with the pin 77, which projects laterally from opposite sides of said hook below the opening in the ring 58, and which is arranged to rest upon the fingers 28 at the station 21 in a position to be caught by the mechanism carried by the car. The hook 38 is provided with a depending lug 78, from which the mail-bag 18 is suspended by the spring balance 80, which comprises the upper member 81 secured to said lug 78 by the link 82, and the lower member 83 secured to the lug 84 on the head 85 of said mailbag 18. The members 81 and 83 are connected by the coiled spring 86 and are respectively provided with parallel guide-bars 87 and 88, the guide-bars 87 each having loops 89 respectively embracing the guide-bars 88, and the guide-bars 88 each having loops 90 respectively embracing the guide-bars 87.

The arm 20, as best shown in Fig. 2, is normally supported by the plate 92 of the bracket 93, which is provided with the slot 94 through which the adjustable bolt 95 having the nut96 extends, and by which the bracket 93 and the plate 92 may be secured in any vertically adjusted position. Said bracket 93 is also provided with the sectoral slot 98, which is engaged by the bolt 99. Said bolt 99 extends through said slot 98 and through a slot 100 in the post 25 and is provided with the nut 101, arranged to secure the bracket 93 in any desired adjusted position.

The plate 92 is provided, as is best shown in Fig. 5, with a detent 103, which overhangs the arm 20 when in operative position. Said arm 20 is normally maintained beneath the. detent 103 by the engagement of the plate 104, which is pressed against the arm 20 by the spring 105 in the spring barrel 106 carried by said plate 92. It may be here noted that any lateral stress upon the arm 20 in a direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5,tends to shift said arm against the spring plate 104 to compress the spring sufficiently to release said arm from the overhanging detent 103, and when thus released. is shifted to the position shown in Fig. 3 by the weight 110, which is adjustable thereon, and which may be secured in any adjusted position by the set screw 112.

As may be readily seen, the shifting of the arm 20 to the inoperative position shown in Fig. 3, removes themail-bag 18 from the path of any mechanism carried by the car, a and supports said bag in a position conveniently accessible by the operator from the station platform 115 by ascending the steps 116. The arm 20 is also provided with a bracket or stop 118, extended in aline with the shoulder 114 to prevent the hook 38 from accidentally riding over the shoulder 114.

The hook 120, shown in Fig. 6, is provided with spring jaws 121 and 122, which are integral with the body portion 125 of said hook, and have the thin resilient regions 123 and 124 arranged to yield when the jaws 121 and 122 are engaged with either the extension 26 of the arm 20, or the hanger 32 of the crane 11, and said jaws are arranged to close immediately upon entrance of the extension 26 or the hanger 32 into said hook.

The operation of the device is as follows :The arm 20 at the station is drawn down to the horizontal position shown in Fig. 1, and a mailbag suspended from its outer end by the pin 77 of the hook 38 engaging the fingers 28; a mail-bag is also suspended from the crane 11, by the engagement of the pin 39 of the hook 38 with the projection 35 at the outer end of the jib 12; the crane is then shifted to the operative position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in which position the detent 51 is engaged by the leg of the hanger 32, and the crane thus held in positionto effect the exchange. When the car reaches the position shown in Fig.2, the hook 38 of the mail-bag 18 carried by the car, the teeth 62 and 63 of its jaws 60 and 61 strike the extension 26, which causes said jaws to yield, and to be shifted inwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, thus permitting the entry of the extension 26 into thering 58 of said hook, whereupon the jaws 60 and 61 are immediately closed by their respective springs 68 and 7 3 to prevent said hook from accidentally slipping from the arm 20, which insures the safe delivery of the bag containing the mail. Contemporaneously with the exchange of the bag 18 from the car 10 to the station 21, the hook 38 which is suspended by the engage ment of its pin 77 with the fingers 28 on the arm 20, and which is disposed in a position opposed to the hook carried by the car, so that its jaws extend toward the oncoming hanger on said car, are engaged by said hanger, and are shifted thereby to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, to effect entry of said hanger into said hook, which is prevented from accidental displacement therefrom by theimmediaterestoration of the jaws to their normal positions by their respective springs 68 and 73. The engagement of the hook 38 with the hanger 32 immediately shifts said hanger downwardly by the weight of the bag 19, against the ten sion of the spring 48, and thereby with draws the detent leg of said hanger from the detent 51, whereupon the spring 53 swings the crane 11 to the position shown in Fig. 3,

where the mail-bag 19 and its hook may be conveniently removed fro-m the jib 12, by

the operator on the car. The engagement of be conveniently retained and removed by the operator from the station platform 115.

It is not desired to limit this invention to the precise details of construction and arrangement herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential.

features of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In mechanism for delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a delivering member, of a receiving member, and means connecting a mail-bag with said delivering member, and comprising jaws operative to be opened by said receiving member, and arranged to embrace said receiving member to withdraw said bag from said delivering member, and automatically closed to retain it on said receiving member.

- 2. In mechanism for delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a delivering member, of a receiving member, and means connecting said bag with said delivering member, and comprising pivoted jaws operative to be opened by said receiving member, and arranged to embrace said receiving member to withdraw said bag from said delivering member, and automatically closed to retain it on said receiving member.

3. In mechanism for delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a delivering member, of a receiving member, and a hook connecting a mail-bag with said delivering member, and comprising jaws operative to be opened by said receiving member, and arranged to embrace said receiving member to withdraw said bag from said delivering member, and automatically closed to prevent the accidental displacement of said bag from said receiving member when thus engaged.

4. In mechanism for delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a delivering member, of a receiving member, and a hook connecting said bag with said delivering member, and comprising movable jaws nor mally closing said hook and operative to be opened by said receiving member, and arranged to embrace said receiving member to withdraw said bag from said delivering member, and automatically shifted to retain said bag on said receiving member when.

thus engaged.

5. In mechanism for delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a delivering member, of a receiving member, and a hook connecting said mail-bag with said delivering member, and comprising resilient jaws operative to be opened by said receiving member and arranged to embrace said receiving member to withdraw said bag from said delivering member, and automatically closed to prevent its accidental displacement from said receiving member.

6. In mechanism for delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a delivering arm, of a receiving arm, and a hook connecting a mail-bag with said delivering arm and comprising jaws openable by engagement with said receiving arm and arranged to embrace said receiving arm to withdraw a bag from said delivering member, and automatically closed to prevent the accidental displacement of said bag from said receiving arm.

7. In mechanism for contemporaneously delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a delivering arm, of a receiving arm, and a hook connecting a mail-bag with said delivering arm, and comprising movable aws openable by engagement with said receiving arm to permit said receiving arm to enter said hook, and arranged to be automatically closed to retain said bag on said receiving arm.

8. In mechanism for contemporaneously delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a delivering arm, of a receiving arm, a hook connecting a mail-bag with said delivering arm, and comprising jaws operative to be opened by said receiving arm, means arranged to prevent the accidental displacement of said hook from said delivering arm, and movable jaws on said hook normally closing said hook, operative to be opened by said receiving arm to permit the entrance of said arm into said hook, said arm being operative to release said hook from said delivering arm, and to withdraw it therefrom, and said jaws being arranged to automatically close, to retain said hook on said receiving arm.

9. In mechanism for contemporaneously delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a movable delivering arm, of a movable receiving arm, means connecting a mail-bag with said delivering arm and comprising an open ring and movable jaws substantially closing said ring, operative to be opened by said receiving arm to permit the entrance of said arm into said ring, and automatically closed to retain said ring on said receiving arm, and means carried by said delivering arm operative to prevent accidental displacement of said ring from said arm, and arranged to be engaged by said receiving arm to release said ring, and to permit it to be withdrawn therefrom, by its engagement with said receiving arm.

10. In mechanism for delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, .the combination with a delivering arm, of a receiving arm, a hook connecting a mail-bag with said delivering arm and comprising pivoted jaws normally substantially closing said hook, openable by engagement with said receiving arm and arranged to permit the entrance of said receiving arm into said hook, and to automatically close to retain said hook on said arm, and a pivoted lever having a detent operative to prevent the accidental displacement of said hook from said delivering arm, and arranged to be rocked by engagement with said receiving arm to shift said detent to an inoperative position, and to thereby permit said hook to be withdrawn from said delivering arm by the engagement of said receiving arm with said hook.

11. Inmechanism for delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a delivering arm, of a receiving arm, means tending to shift said arms into an inoperative position, means operative to hold said arms in operative position, an open ring connecting a mail-bag with said delivering arm and comprising movable jaws substantially closing said ring and arranged to be opened by engagement with said receiving arm, to permit the entrance of said receiving arm into said ring and arranged to automatically close to retain said ring on said receiving arm, and to withdraw said ring from said delivering arm, and means actuated by the weight of said mail-bag to permit the movement of said receiving arm to inoperative position When a mail-bag is received thereby.

12. In mechanism for contemporaneously delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a delivering member, of a receiving member, means connecting a mail-bag with said delivering member, comprising a hook having movable jaws operative to be opened by engagement with said receiving member to withdraw the bag from said delivering member, means to automatically close said jaws to prevent accidental displacement of said hook from said receiving member, and means actuated by said bag to efl'ect the movement of said receiving member to a position to free said bag from the path of relatively moving mechanism.

18. In mechanism for contemporaneously delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a delivering member, of a receiving member, means to hold said members in operative position, means tending to shift said members to an inoperative position, and means connecting a mail-bag with said delivering member, and comprising jaws operative to be opened by engagement with said receiving member, and arranged to embrace said receiving member to withdraw said bag from said delivering member, and to effect the release of said receiving member to permit its shifting to said inoperative position.

14. In mechanism for contemporaneously delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination With a crane carried by a car, and having a delivering member and a receiving member, of an arm disposed along the track and having a delivering member and a receiving member, and a hook connecting a mail-bag with each of said delivering members, and

comprising jaws operative to be openedby the respective receiving members and arranged to embrace said members, which withdraws said bags from said respective delivering members, said jaws being automatically closed to retain said hooks on their respective receiving members.

15. In mechanism for contemporaneously delivering and receiving n1ail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a crane carried by a car and having a delivering member and a relatively movable receiving member, of an arm disposed adjacent to the track and having a receiving member and a delivering member, means connecting a mail-bag with the respective delivering members, comprising opposed normally closed jaws operative to be opened by its respective receiving member, and arranged to embrace said receiving member, which withdraws it from said delivering member, said jaws being automatically closed to retain it on said receiving member, means operative to Shift said crane and arm to an inoperative position, and means affected by the weight of said bags to release said crane and arm, and permit them to shift to inoperative position.

16. In mechanism for delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a delivering member and a relatively movable receiving member carried bya car, of a receiving and delivering member disposed adjacent to the track, means tending to shift the delivering and receiving members on the car to an inoperative position, and a detent operatively engaged with said receiving member on said car, arranged to maintain said members in operative position and arranged to be shifted by the engagement of a mail-bag therewith to release said members and permit their movement to said inoperative position.

17. In mechanism for delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a movlng .train, the combination with a crane carried .operatively connected with said receiving member on said car to maintain said crane in operative position, means arranged to retam said arm 1n operative position, and

means connecting a mail-bag with each of said delivering members, and comprising a.

jaw arranged to be shifted by engagement with its respective receiving member, and operative to prevent disengagement of said receiving member when engaged therewith, to withdraw said mail-bag from said delivering member, and operative to release the mechanism for delivering and receiving mail-bags and permit its movement to an inoperative position.

18. In mechanism for delivering and 'receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combinationjwith a crane carried} by a car and having a delivering member arranged to swing in a horizontalplane, of

means tending to shift said member toaninoperative posltlon, a hangercarrled by sald crane and arranged to reciprocate therein,

means tending to uplift said hanger with respect to said crane, a detent engaged by said hanger in its uplifted position to retain said crane in operative position, an arm disposed adjacent to the track, having a delivering member and a receiving member, and means connecting a mail-bag wit-h each of said delivering members and comprising a jaw operative to engage their-respective receiving members, to prevent disengagement therefrom when received thereby, and operative to shift said hanger out of engagement with said detent to permit the movement of said crane to said inoperative position.

19. In mechanism for delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a delivering member carried by a car, of a pivoted arm disposed adjacent to the track and comprising receiving and delivering means, means tending to shift said arm to an inoperative position and an adjustable bracket ar-" member carried by a car, of a pivoted arm disposed adjacent to the track, means tending to shift said arm to an inoperative position, an adjustable bracket having a detent arranged to retain said arm in operative position', and means arranged to adjust said bracket to retain said arm in different substantially horizontal positions.

21. In mechanism for delivering and. receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a delivering member carried by a car, of a pivoted arm disposed adjacent to the track, means tending to shift said arm to an inoperative position, an adjustable bracket having a detent arranged to retain said arm in operative position, means arranged to adjust said bracket to retain said arm in different substantially horizontal positions, and resilient means tending to shift said arm into engagement with said de'tent, said arm being shifted out of engagement with said detent by the engagement of a bag carried by the delivering means on said car.

22. In mechanism for delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a' moving train, the combination with a delivering member, of a receiving member, means connecting a mail-bag withsaid delivering member, comprising an extensible resilient link, and a hook having jaws arranged to be opened by said receiving member to permit its entry into said hook, and automatically closed to prevent its accidental dis placement therefrom. v

23. In mechanism for deliverin and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a delivering member and a receiving member, of means comprising a hook resiliently connecting a mail-bag with said delivering member, means operative to retain said hook on said delivering member, jaws on said hook, and a receiving member arranged to shift said retaining means to an inoperative position to release said hook, and arranged toengage said jaws to effect entrance into said hook and be retained thereby to Withdraw said hook from said delivering member.

24. In mechanism for delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a delivering member, of a hook connecting a mail-bag with said delivering member, resilient means disposed between said hook and bag, a detent on said delivering member operative to prevent displacement of said hook therefrom, and comprising a lever having a depending member, a jaw normally closing said hook, and a receiving member arranged to shift said detent, to release said hook, and

to open said jaw to effect entrance into said hook and thereby withdraw said released hook from said delivering member.

25. In mechanism for delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a delivering member having a slotted portion, of a receiving member comprising a substantially horizontal bar, a hook having a lug extending through said slotted portion and provided with a pin seated upon said slotted portion, and arranged to slide therefrom when engaged with said receiving member, and a jaw normally closing said hook and arranged to be opened by said receiving member to permit entrance thereof into said hook, and to prevent the displacement of said hook from said receiving member.

26; In mechanism for delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a pivoted arm for receiving and delivering mail-bags, of a bracket arranged to support said arm ad ju'stable to any desired position, and having slots, and bolts extended through said slots and arranged to secure said bracket in said adjusted position. I

27. In mechanism for delivering and receiving mail-bags to and from a moving train, the combination with a delivering member having a Vertical slot and carried by a car, of a delivering member disposed adjacent to the track and having a vertical slot, a hook comprising an open ring provided with aws normally closing said ring, pins extendedthrou'gh said hook and projecting from the sides thereof above and below the opening in said ring, one of said pins bei'ng operative to support said hook "upon the delivering member on said car, and the other of said pins being arranged to support said hook upon the delivering member along the track, a receiving member carried by said car operative to engage said jaw to effect entrance into said ring and to withdraw said hook from said delivering member, said jaw being operative to prevent the accidental displacement of said hook from said receiving member.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto setmy hand this 24th day of October, A. D., 1910.

EDWVARD Gr. MAYS.

WVitnesses:

ALEXANDER PARK, CLIFTON O. HALLowELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of I P ate'nts, Washington, D. C. 

